Early days of education

Study Areas at Roedean School, c. 1900. This room at Roedean School is where pupils at this boarding-school would study when not in classes. Each pupil had a desk with a small book-shelf for textbooks in front of it. Some pupils have personalised their areas with vases of flowers and photographs. The room is lit by gas-lights.

Brighton & Hove in Pictures

Children in class

www.mybrightonandhove.org.uk

In 1880, the government made it compulsory for children between the ages of 5 and 10 to attend school.  By 1944 the school leaving age was raise to 15 and the 11+ examinations - which saw ability determine the type of secondary education a child could receive - was introduced. The period between these years saw some of the foundations of modern schooling emerge.

On this page and in Chalk, slates, sponges and ink! , Teachers  and  11+ , you can explore memories of attending school in the local area of Brighton and Hove, during the first half of the 20th century.

Visit the Timeline for Schools for an overview of the general development of education.

You can download Early Days of Education by clicking here (PDF format) and Timeline for Schools by clicking here (PDF format).

First day memories
For the children of 1940s Hanover, Finsbury Road School was our window on the world. The entrance was two doors away from where we lived and I couldn't wait to be old enough to go there.
The infants' department had a separate entrance in Southover Street and to this heaven on earth my Mum was going to take me the very next morning. Apart from the wonderful smell of chalk dust and warm milk, the only clear memory of my first day is playing in the sand table and watching fascinated as lots of tiny low tables were set up at the other end of the vast room. Only when the teacher said, "Come along now, it's time to lie down," did I realise that they were in fact canvas folding beds."
Janis Ravenett - Snapshots

I remember quite clearly my first lesson. On each tiny desk was placed an arrangement to teach us to lace up our shoes. Two pieces of cardboard, each with a line of eyelet holes, were joined together with a piece of string, and we were shown how to do the crisscross lace-up. Most children wore high-low boots at that time, and although the high-lows were fastened by mainly passing the lace around a series of clips, there were also quite a few eyelets. The later boots and shoes were all eyelets of course.

I have thought many times since what a sensible and practical lesson that first one was, shoe-lacing for beginners.
Sid Manville - Everything Seems Smaller